CyberSmokeBlog.blogspot.com: Do you know how much is in your candidates' wallets?

Good Day Readers:

After reading the recent National Post article, Conservatives win findraising race - March 26, 2011, we wondered how much money will candidates is our Riding (St. Boniface, Manitoba) be allowed to spend campaigning? Also, after the May 2, 2011 vote can we find how much each spent? The answer to both questions is yes. The starting point is Elections Canada's website http://www.elections.ca/.

The formula. Candidates will be allowed to spend $2.07 for each of the first 15,000 registered voters in a Riding or a maximum of $31,050. The next 10,000 are worth $1.04 per person good for another $10,040. St. Boniface's population is 84,473 of which 64,407 are eligible leaving 39,404 individuals that fetch 52 cents a head ($20,491.64). Grand total, assuming our calculations are correct, is $61,941.64 per candidate.

Finally, every Riding has a Returning Officer appointed for a 10-year period. These positions are apolitical awarded on the basis of an open employment competition. You can find the name and co-ordinates of your RO on the Elections Canada website. Approximately, 6-months after the election Returning Officers are required to file a report with EC documenting how much money was spent by the candidates in the Riding for which they were responsible. Contributors will be identifed by name but there will be some aggregation. For example, smaller donations (i.e. $10 - $20 range) will likely be documented as a total of "$X" contributed by "Y" (anonymous) voters. By day 21 of the campaign candidates must have filled the required paperwork with the appropriate RO to ensure eligibility.

Back to St. Boniface. Former Winnipeg Police Officer Shelly Glover will be spending her $61,941.64 trying to get re-elected for a second term. Below are pictures of Ms Glover shortly after she won in October 2008 and her subsequent larger than life "Harper Government" makeover.

The St. Boniface Rideing should be particularly interesting because Liberal Raymond Simard who lost the seat will be trying to regain it.

Since 1925 8-Liberals and 4-Conservatives have sent MPs to Ottawa. In the intervening period the Liberals have held it 73 of the 86 years. Looks like Ms Glover may be in for a bit of a fight. To the best of our knowledge the NDP have yet to announce who it will run while the Green Party has not made known its intentions.

Another Riding we'll be following is that of Pat "Harry Callahan" Martin in Winnipeg Centre who will be fighting the forces of evil for the NDP. Now that an election is underway soon you can expect the candidates, or their representatives, to appear on your doorstep unannounced pandering for support - not to mention the flood of flyers in your mail. Wonder if they'll try e-mail to reduce costs?